The requirement for Reference Report Forms
has been changed to require only one Reference Letter.

The method
for submitting GRE scores via the Educational Testing Service
has changed.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title:

Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

Synopsis of Program:

The National Science Foundation aims
to ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics in the United States and
to reinforce its diversity by offering approximately 1,000 graduate
fellowships in this competition. The Graduate Research Fellowship provides
three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based
master’s or doctoral degrees and is intended for students who are
at the early stages of their graduate study. The Graduate
Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) invests in graduate education
for a cadre of diverse individuals who demonstrate their potential
to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines
relevant to the mission of the National Science Foundation.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:

Fellowship applications must be
submitted by the prospective Fellow. Applicants must register with
the FastLane system prior to submitting an application and must
affiliate with an accredited United States university, college,
or non-profit academic institution or appropriate international
institution of higher education offering advanced degrees in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics prior to activating
the Fellowship award.

Applicant Eligibility Limit:

Applicants must be United States
citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United
States. The term "national" designates a native resident of a commonwealth
or territory of the United States, such as American Samoa, Guam,
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Northern Mariana Islands. It
does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied
for U.S. citizenship.

Fellowships are intended for individuals
in the earliest stages of their graduate study.

Applicants must have completed no more than
twelve months of full-time graduate study or the equivalent
in part-time study.

Individuals may apply during the senior
year of college, prior to or during the first year of graduate
school, and at the beginning of the second year of graduate
school.

Limit on Number of Applications: Applicants
are limited to only one application in this competition.

Award Information

Application Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Application Preparation Instructions

Application Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that deviates
from the standard Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation
guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further
information.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

No indirect costs are allowed.

Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations
apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further
information.

C. Due Dates

Application Deadline(s) (due
by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

Deadline(s) are dependent on proposed field
of study or specialization

November 17, 2004

Life Sciences

November, 18, 2004

Chemistry

November 19, 2004

Computer and Information Science and Engineering

November 29, 2004

Social Sciences

November 30, 2004

Physics and Astronomy

December 2, 2004

Mathematical Sciences

December 3, 2004

Geosciences

December 9, 2004

Psychology

December 10, 2004

Engineering

The deadline(s) above apply to application information that must be
submitted via FastLane.

The NSF-Supported Fields of Specialization that comprise disciplines above
are listed here.

The following deadlines apply to Supporting Application Materials:

December 10, 2004:
Undergraduate GPA Form and Official Academic Transcript(s) (excluding
Fall 2004)

I. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the Graduate Research
Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to ensure the vitality of the scientific
and technological workforce in the United States and to reinforce
its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate
students in the relevant science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral
degrees. NSF Fellows are expected to become knowledge experts
who can contribute significantly to research, teaching, and innovations
in science and engineering. These individuals will be crucial to
maintaining and advancing the nation’s technological infrastructure
and national security as well as contributing to the economic well
being of society at large.

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program
is designed to provide opportunities for advanced education that
prepares students for a broad range of disciplinary and cross-disciplinary
careers through its strategic investments in intellectual capital.
Applicants, therefore, are urged to visit the NSF web page at https://www.nsf.gov for more information
and guidance about current and emerging themes for the NSF directorates.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program
awards fellowships for graduate study leading to research-based master’s
or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM) relevant to the mission of the National Science
Foundation (NSF-Supported FIelds of Specialization). Awards
are made also for study toward a research-based Ph.D. in science
education that requires a competence comparable to that of Ph.D.
candidates in scientific disciplines.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowships are
intended for individuals in the early stages of their graduate study.
All applicants are expected to have adequate preparation to begin
graduate level study and research by Summer or Fall of 2005. In most
cases, this will be demonstrated by a bachelor’s degree earned prior
to Fall 2005.

Applicants may pursue graduate study
at an institution in the United States or affiliate with a foreign
institution. Prospective Fellows are responsible for all logistical
arrangements required for affiliation with the foreign institution,
including living arrangements and securing any necessary passports
or visas.

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program
supports a comprehensive holistic plan for graduate education and
takes into account the individual interests and competencies of the
Fellows. Thus, an applicant needs to provide a detailed profile of
his or her relevant experiences and plans for graduate education
in such a way as to demonstrate the potential to become an emerging
knowledge expert in STEM disciplines.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Fellowship applications must be submitted by
the prospective Fellow.

Citizenship

Applicants must be United States citizens or nationals,
or permanent resident aliens of the United States. The term "national" designates
a native resident of a commonwealth or territory of the United States,
such as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or
the Northern Mariana Islands. It does not refer to a citizen
of another country who has applied for U.S. citizenship.

Degree Requirements

Applicants are expected to have adequate
preparation to begin graduate study and research by Summer or Fall
2005. In most cases, this will be demonstrated by receipt of
a bachelor's degree earned prior to Fall 2005.

Individuals in joint BS/MS programs are
eligible if the application is submitted prior to the completion
of any other graduate study as stipulated below. In four-year
joint programs, applicants may apply in the fourth year and after
the completion of the program (prior to the completion of any other
graduate study); in five-year joint programs, applicants may apply
in the fourth and fifth years of the program, and after the completion
of the program (prior to the completion of any other graduate study).

Fellowships are intended for individuals
in the early stages of their graduate study. Applicants must have
completed no more than twelve months of full-time graduate study at
the time of their application. For eligibility purposes for part-time
students, assume that nine (9) semester hours of part-time study are
equal to a full-time semester and that six (6) semester hours of
part-time study are equal to a summer session.

Exceptions to these time-related restrictions
can be made for extenuating circumstances such as significant change
of field, interruption in study to gain work experience, or career
interruption due to family or medical reasons. The interruption must
be for a period of more than two years prior to November 2004.

There are two categories of applicants that are
always ineligible:

Those who earned a Ph.D. in science, mathematics,
or engineering or any medical degree, such as an M.D., D.D.S. or
D.V.M. after October 1, 1999.

Those who have already received and held tenure
as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow.

Field of Study

Fellowships are awarded for graduate
study leading to research‑based master’s or doctoral degrees
in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics supported
by the National Science Foundation (NSF-Supported Fields of Specialization). Awards are
made also for work toward a research‑based Ph.D. in science
education that requires a science competence comparable to that for
Ph.D. candidates in scientific disciplines.

Support is not provided for study in
clinical, counseling, business, or management fields; in other education
programs of any kind; in history (except in history of science) or
social work; for work in medical, dental, law, public health, or
practice‑oriented professional degree programs; or in joint
science‑professional degree programs such as MD/PhD and JD/PhD
programs. Support is not provided for clinical research or
for research with a focus on disease, especially applied research
on the diagnosis or treatment of physical or mental disease or in
the abnormality or malfunction in humans or animals. Support
is not provided also for research involving animal models of such
conditions, the development or testing of drugs, or other procedures
for their treatment.

Basic research in fields (NSF-Supported Fields of Specialization) are usually
eligible notwithstanding the fact that the research may lead
to long-term disease-related implications. Research in bioengineering
with diagnosis or treatment‑related goals is eligible for support
if it applies engineering principles to problems in biology and medicine
while advancing engineering knowledge. Bioengineering research
to aid persons with disabilities is also eligible.

Eligibility for the Women in Engineering
and Computer and Information Science Awards

The Women in Engineering and Computer
and Information Science (WECS) awards -- with additional funding
provided by the Directorates for Computer and Information Science
and Engineering (CISE), Engineering (ENG), and Education and Human
Resources (EHR) -- are for women who intend to pursue graduate
research degrees in Engineering or Computer and Information Science
and Engineering. Women who apply in fields listed under “Engineering” or “Computer
and Information Science and Engineering” in this solicitation
will be considered for a WECS award. Other eligibility criteria
are the same as for applicants in other fields.

IV. AWARD INFORMATION

NSF expects to award 1,000 Graduate Research
Fellowships under this solicitation.

The Graduate Research Fellowship stipend
is currently $30,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated monthly
at $2,500 for shorter periods. At its discretion, the affiliated
institution may supplement a Fellow's stipend from institutional
funds as allowable according to the policies of the institution.

NSF will provide the affiliated institution,
on behalf of the Fellow, a cost of education allowance of $10,500
per tenure year. If a Fellow affiliates with a foreign institution,
tuition and assessed fees will be reimbursed to the Fellow up to
a maximum of $10,500 per tenure year.

All awards will be for a maximum of three
years usable over a five-year period. The anticipated award date
is late March 2005.

Honorable Mention

The NSF accords Honorable Mention to
meritorious applicants who do not receive fellowship awards. Honorable
Mention is considered a significant academic achievement nationwide.

V. APPLICATION PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Application Preparation Instructions

Application Instructions:

Complete applications include information
that must be submitted electronically using NSF’s FastLane
Graduate Research Fellowship Program application module at http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/ and
supporting materials that must be submitted in hard copy. See the Applicant
Users Guide for instructions on completing and
submitting an application as well as supplemental information about
the GRFP.

The FastLane Application
Information includes the following: Personal
Profile, Education and Work Experience, Planned Graduate Program,
Reference Letter, Personal Statements, Proposed Plan of Research,
and Previous Research Experience. Applicants are advised to submit
applications early to avoid possible FastLane system delays on
the deadline date for their field of specialization.

Supporting Application Materials are
described below.

Official Academic Transcript(s)

Applicants are required to have
official transcript(s) from all undergraduate and graduate academic
institutions attended, excluding Fall 2004 submitted to the
GRF Operations Center in hard copy via postal mail, express service,
or courier to:

It is recommended that applicants have
both the GRE General and Subject Test scores reported, but
GRE scores are optional. To have GRE scores reported, applicants
should use the Fellowship Sponsor Code 5140. Only
GRE scores from tests taken between October 1, 1999 and December
31, 2004 submitted by ETS will be accepted for the 2004-05 NSF
Graduate Research Fellowship competition. Applicants should NOT
submit scores themselves directly.

Graduate Record Examination
Registration

NSF will pay Subject Test registration
fees for applicants who register for the December 11, 2004 administration
under two conditions: (1) the NSF Fellowship application is the
primary purpose, and (2) the GRE registration form for the December
test is received at ETS no later than November 5, 2004.

The following condition is imposed
on the reporting of the December 11, 2004 GRE Subject Test scores
when the test fee is paid by NSF. Prior to May 1, 2005 these
scores will be reported only for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Program, to the fellowship applicant, and to the applicant’s undergraduate
institution.

Mail the Request for Payment of
GRE Subject Test Fee form along with the GRE Subject Test registration
form to:

Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6004

Application Completion Status

The FastLane GRFP Application module
will display the completion status of the FastLane Application
Information. Applicants will be notified by the GRF Operations
Center of the status of supporting application materials such as
transcripts and GRE scores.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

Cost sharing is not required in proposals submitted under this Program
Solicitation.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

No indirect costs are allowed.

Other Budgetary Limitations:

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program fellowship
stipend is currently $30,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated
monthly at $2,500 for shorter periods. At its discretion, the
affiliated institution may supplement a Fellow’s stipend from institutional
funds as allowable according to the policies of the
institution.

The NSF provides the affiliated institution,
on behalf of each fellow, a cost-of-education allowance of $10,500
per tenure year. At foreign institutions, all tuition and assessed
fees will be reimbursed to the Fellow up to a maximum of $10,500
per tenure year.

C. Due Dates

Application Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. applicant's local time):

Deadline(s) are dependent on proposed
field of study or specialization

November 17, 2004

Life Sciences

November, 18, 2004

Chemistry

November 19, 2004

Computer and Information Science and Engineering

November 29, 2004

Social Sciences

November 30, 2004

Physics and Astronomy

December 2, 2004

Mathematical Sciences

December 3, 2004

Geosciences

December 9, 2004

Psychology

December 10, 2004

Engineering

The deadline(s) above apply to application information
that must be submitted via FastLane.

The NSF-Supported Fields of Specialization that comprise
disciplines above are listed here.

The following deadlines apply to Supporting Application
Materials:

December 10, 2004:
Undergraduate GPA Form and Official Academic Transcript(s) (excluding Fall
2004)

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. NSF Application Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by disciplinary panels of scientists,
mathematicians, and engineers. Applications are assigned to panels
based on the applicant's chosen field(s) of study and are evaluated
on the basis of all available information. In considering applications,
reviewers are asked to address two questions that are the basis of
NSF's merit review criteria: (1) What is the intellectual merit of
the applicant? and (2) What are the broader impacts of supporting the
individual's graduate study? Both intellectual merit and the broader
impacts of support are important to the evaluation of applications.
Applicants should address activities in their written statements to
provide reviewers with information necessary to respond fully to both
NSF merit review criteria.

Intellectual Merit Criterion

The intellectual merit criterion includes demonstrated intellectual
ability and other accepted requisites for scholarly scientific study,
such as the ability (1) to plan and conduct research; (2) to work
as a member of a team as well as independently; and (3) to interpret
and communicate research findings. Panelists are instructed to consider:
the strength of the academic record, the proposed plan of research,
the description of previous research experience, the appropriateness
of the choice of references and the extent to which they indicate
merit, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General and Subject Tests
scores, and the appropriateness of the choice of institution for
fellowship tenure relative to the proposed plan of research.

Broader Impacts Criterion

The broader impacts criterion includes contributions that (1) effectively
integrate research and education at all levels, infuse learning with
the excitement of discovery, and assure that the findings and methods
of research are communicated in a broad context and to a large audience;
(2) encourage diversity, broaden opportunities, and enable the participation
of all citizens-women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons
with disabilities-in science and research; (3) enhance scientific and
technical understanding; and (4) benefit society. Applicants may provide
characteristics of their background, including personal, professional,
and educational experiences, to indicate their potential to fulfill
the broader impacts criterion.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the fellowship award is made to the applicant by the
Director, Division of Graduate Education. Applicants whose applications
are declined will be advised as promptly as possible.

B. Award Conditions

An NSF Fellowship award consists of the award letter that includes
the applicable terms and conditions and fellowship management instructions.
All Fellowship awards are made subject to the provisions (and any subsequent
amendments) contained in the document Information
for Graduate Research Fellows.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
applicants will be notified by late March 2005 of their selection.
The applicant must accept or decline the Fellowship within 30
days of notification by logging into the Graduate Research Fellowship
Program link at (http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/) with
the same userid and password as used with the application.

Other Opportunities for Fellowship Awardees and
Honorable Mention Recipients

Fellows and Honorable Mention recipients
may request computer time at one of the NSF supported Supercomputer
Centers. The Centers consider requests for supercomputer use in support
of the research project that is undertaken toward completion of the
graduate program of study. (Refer to the Information for
Graduate Research Fellows for additional guidance.)

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and
Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance
or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (students and faculty)
to work on NSF-supported projects. All fellowship awardees and Honorable
Mention recipients with disabilities may apply for assistance by
contacting: FASED c/o Graduate Research Fellowship Program,
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard - Room 815, Arlington,
VA 22230. See the FASED program
announcement.

C. Reporting Requirements

Fellows are required to use NSF’s FastLane
electronic fellowship reporting system for preparation and submission
of annual reports. The system permits electronic submission
and updating of activity reports, including information on research accomplishments
and findings, presentations, publications, awards and recognitions,
and other accomplishments. Fellows will not be required to re-enter
information previously provided in the fellowship application.

Fellows must submit a Declaration to Utilize,
Reserve or Terminate a Subsequent Year of a Three-Year Graduate
Fellowship Award annually each spring. Failure to declare intent
at this time results in the fellowship being considered as Resigned.

Fellows must submit an Activities Report annually within
30 days after the end of each tenure period describing experiences
and accomplishments during the past year.

Fellows Abroad

The Fellowship Starting Certificate must be
submitted to begin stipend payments and annually thereafter. The
Starting Certificate must indicate the contact information for the
Science Advisor at the affiliated institution.

The ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment
Form (SF 3881) must be submitted to the Division of Financial Management
at NSF in order for the U.S. Treasury Department to transmit payment
data electronically to the Fellow’s U.S. bank account.

An annual Fellowship Termination Certificate
and Grant Fiscal Report must be submitted upon completion of each
tenure period. The Science Advisor must verify the end date for each
fellowship year.

IX. OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST

The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research
and education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide
to Programs is available electronically at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp.
General descriptions of NSF programs, research areas, and eligibility
information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter.

Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning
specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about
these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices. Any
changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for
the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is updated
daily on the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin,
and in individual program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers
can also sign up for NSF's Custom News Service (https://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/start.htm)
to be notified of new funding opportunities that become available.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education
in most fields of science and engineering. Awardees are wholly responsible
for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for
publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for
such findings or their interpretation.

NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and
educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and
persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance
with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds
of race, color, age, sex, national origin or disability shall be excluded
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance
from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that
limit eligibility.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED)
provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons
with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student
research assistants) to work on NSF-supported projects. See the GPG
Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these
types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific
progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants
and cooperative agreements for research and education in the
sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

To get the latest information about program deadlines, to
download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts
of awards, visit the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/

PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is
solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act
of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used
in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; project reports
submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting
within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested
may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part
of the proposal review process; to applicant institutions/grantees
to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award
decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors,
experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete
assigned work; to other government agencies needing information as
part of the review process or in order to coordinate programs; and
to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative
proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal
Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select
potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee
members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal
File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 267 (January 5, 1998),
and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal
Register 268 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary.
Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce
the possibility of receiving an award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0023. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.

1 Warning: Fellowships are awarded
only for study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees. Practice-oriented
master's programs are not eligible for support in this program. PhD
programs must be science-based.

2 Warning: Research
with disease-related goals is not eligible for support by NSF. Applicants
in this field will be judged ineligible if their Proposed Plan of
Research has disease-related goals and/or is insufficiently focused
on basic research questions.

3 Warning: Clinical
and counseling psychology are generally not supported in this program;
applicants in this field will be judged ineligible if their Proposed
Plan of Research focuses on mental disease, abnormality or malfunction.

4 Warning: Applicants
in these fields may be judged ineligible if the Proposed Plan of
Research does not demonstrate a scientific approach.